The present invention relates to a method for lubricating the teeth of a gear unit having a hollow wheel with an inner set of teeth and at least one pinion with an outer set of teeth that meshes with the inner set of teeth. The present invention also relates to a gear unit with a hollow wheel with an inner set of teeth and at least one pinion with an outer set of teeth.
Gear units with a hollow wheel with an inner set of teeth and a pinion with an outer set of teeth are used in the prior art to connect two gear shafts with a relatively slight axial spacing, whose rotary speed to one another is to be stepped up at a certain ratio.
The toothing between the inner set of teeth and outer set of teeth must be lubricated with lubricant for the sake of lubrication and to dissipate heat from the teeth. In the known gear units, the lubrication of the teeth is done by placing the teeth in an oil bath. By the centrifugal action of the hollow wheel during operation of the gear unit, however, the entry of the oil into the interior of the hollow wheel and into the teeth is made considerably more difficult. In the known gear units, the lubrication of the teeth is therefore not optimal, even though the teeth are in an oil bath. Inadequate lubrication of the teeth can lead to increased wear and abrasion of the teeth and increased heat production in the region of the teeth. Over the long term, this can mean failure of the gear unit and can entail considerable cost for replacing the defective gear unit with a new one and repairing the defective gear unit.